A fuel tank mounted on a vehicle is typically provided with a protective plate for shielding the fuel tank from the heat of an exhaust pipe. Conventionally, a protective plate is secured to projections formed in the fuel tank by using suitable fasteners. Patent document 1 discloses a structure for securing the protective plate to a mounting boss provided on the fuel tank by using a clip in the form of a sheet spring, and patent document 2 discloses a structure for securing a protective plate to the fuel tank by using nuts threaded with bolts fixed to the fuel tank.    Patent document 1: Japanese laid open patent 2008-37230    Patent document 2: Japanese patent 4034104